Thursday, June 2, 2011

Japan!? Rearranging the Deck Chairs on the Titanic - In Step and in Tune!

Hot on the heels of my post yesterday lambasting the government... (What government? Any government. You choose.) Here is an article about how some nitwits in the Japanese government want to enforce their nationalist beliefs and musical tastes on other people.... And how the supreme court actually agrees with them!!!

TOKYO, May 30 (AP) - (Kyodo)—TheSupreme Court determined Monday it is constitutional that a school principal made teachers and clerks stand and sing the "Kimigayo" national anthem in front of the Hinomaru national flag at a graduation ceremony, in a landmark ruling that is likely to affect a series of similar lawsuits over the contentious issue.

You've got to be kidding me! Where in the constitution of Japan does it state that a school principal has the authority to make people stand when a song is played? Show me!

This is laughable:

The four-justice top court panel, in rejecting an appeal by a former Tokyo high school teacher, ruled unanimously that while the plaintiff's freedom of thought and conscience may be "indirectly constrained" to a certain extent, it was within "an acceptable degree" given the "necessity and rationality" for such an obligation.

Riiiiiight.... His thinking was "indirectly constrained" but it was to "an acceptable degree"?.... What a load of BS! It's a "necessity and ration(ity)" for such an obligation!? No. It's not.

If this were a free exchange of business between two consenting partners and a mutually agreeable contract, then let them do whatever they want... But, this is a public school and after hiring a guy, then his cranky right wing boss gets so upset because the guy doesn't want to stand when some tune is played? Horse sh*t!

Upholding a Tokyo High Court ruling, the Supreme Court dismissed the demand for compensation from 64-year-old Yuji Saruya, a former teacher at a Tokyo metropolitan government-run high school who disobeyed the order once in 2004 and was refused reemployment after retirement.

OK. Well, dismissing the guys demand to get paid for not standing up might be the only part of this comedy that does makes sense....

Japanese court rulings have been split over the issue and Monday's ruling was the first time for the top court to issue its judgment on the requirement for teachers and school clerks to stand up at the hoisting of the national flag and sing the "Kimigayo" anthem at events such as enrollment and graduation ceremonies.

Catch that? Not only do you clowns have to stand up now. You must sing. What next? Forced vocal training so that all these off key people don't ruin the song too?

The latest decision is also likely to influence deliberations at the Osaka prefectural assembly where a political group led by Osaka Gov. Toru Hashimoto has proposed an ordinance that would oblige school teachers to do so.

Great! Today's "Idiot of the Day" award winner goes out to a Mister Hashimoto Toru from Osaka. Step up and collect your prize!

"Kimigayo," which carries lines originally wishing for the eternal reign of the emperor, is often seen as a symbol of Japan's past imperialism and militarism, making ceremonies involving them a contentious issue that has led to lawsuits.

Isn't this so ridiculous? We are spending tax money on courts for stuff like this?!

Who knows? Had the Japanese soldiers been able to carry

a decent tune maybe they'd have won the war?

The economy is falling apart; the demographics of this country are the worst in the entire industrialized world; our debt is 225.8% of GDP; we have a big nuclear power plant still not stabilized; due to the nuclear plant troubles, we are running the countries energy grid at 60% capacity; unemployment is up; household spending is down; the current prime minister and his clueless party wants to double our sales tax; ad nauseam.

And these clowns are worried if people sit down or stand up when a particular song is played? Do teachers have to stand up if, say, a radicalized version like the one at the top of this post is played too?

Let's call this an extreme example of government ineptitude and a case of rearranging the deck chairs on the Titanic after its hit the ice berg. But, in this case, since this is Japan, it's not the Titanic, it's the battleship Yamato on its last voyage heading for Okinawa...

Anyone who has studied any history knows how successful a venture that one was! If they don't know it, then I think we should pass a law that forces all Japanese to rent the hit movie about the sinking of the Yamato starring SMAP or whoever was in it and make them watch.

Then we pass a law making them enjoy it when they are forced to watch it too.

3 comments:

TominthePacificNW
said...

Mike, what's that quip that applies here? Patriotism being the last refuge of the scoundrel or something like that. And what's really sad is that I'm looking to bail on the US and Japan was looking relatively sane with opportunites to me. From what I've read previously, that Osaka governor had some decent policy proscriptions and seemed to be better than the good ole boys network. Disappointing to hear that he's one of the black van nationalists.

The economy is falling apart; the demographics of this country are the worst in the entire industrialized world; our debt is 225.8% of GDP; we have a big nuclear power plant still not stabilized; due to the nuclear plant troubles, we are running the countries energy grid at 60%

Well, that just proves the courts and Hashimoto are right: obviously (duh!), none of this would be happening if everyone stood and sang properly during Kimigayo (which they really should hurry up and make the official national anthem). It's slackers like that 64-year-old loser who are setting a bad example. Horse-whipping is too good for 'em!(sarcasm alert)

Changing Prime Ministers as often as they can and national anthems are clearly the priorities in this country in the aftermath of the earthquake, tsunami and ongoing issues at the nuclear facilities up north.

Total Pageviews Since June 2012

Search This Blog

About Me

Professional music/TV/radio/anime-related program producer. In the music business since 1977 as lead vocalist with legendary Los Angeles Punk Band, "The Rotters" (Sit on My Face Stevie Nix.). Former assistant to the legendary Rodeny Bingenheimer (Rodney on the ROQ - KROQ Los Angeles from 1980 ~ 1981.) First and only foreigner in Japanese history to become the General Manager of a major Japanese broadcasting station (TV Tokyo owned InterFM). Has produced a few smash hit programs and several of Japan's highest rated and most famous radio programs. Recent Smash Hits were "The TV Show" (Set Program with "Ninja Slayer") which, between April - Oct. 2015, garnered over 10 million viewers. Currently producing and hosting "WTF?" the smash hit Sunday live show on InterFM 89.7 as well as Rakuten Power Morning everyday Mon. ~ Fri. 6 am ~ 10 am. Wrote and produced full-length motion picture "Ghostroads - A Japanese Rock and Roll Ghost Story" which will be released by a Japanese major motion picture company and in theaters all across Japan in Oct. 2017.